Cards and Crafts : Punch art

Before I got my Big Shot, I had a serious addiction to buying punches as you can see in this drawer packed full of punches!

Craft Punches

And I think because there are many posts on my blog dedicated to punch-craft, if you google Punch craft tutorials you will find quite a few links leading to this blog! I get a lot of mails asking for guidance on punches so here is a back to basics post focusing on Craft Punches

What is a craft Punch?

I think all of us are familiar with the 2 hole punch we use to punch holes on papers to file them...well craft punches are just more sophisticated version of that.

Here are some projects made using Craft Punches:

Cascading Card with Martha Stewart Heart Border Punch

Cascading Card

and Matching Hinged Gift Box with the Martha Stewart punch around the page Vintage floral punch

Fancy Fold Pop Up Card

Pop Up card

which folds flat like this showcasing Martha Stewart daisy border punch

Pop Up Card

Flower shaped baskets made using the We R Memory keepers Flower Punch Board

Flower Punch Board basket

Huge Paper Daffodils made using the Flower Punch Board

Paper Daffodil

You Can click on these links : Punch craft flowers and Punchcraft tutorials to see more projects using Punches
Tips on Using Punches

Using Punches is so easy you dont require any special skills but here are a few tips and tricks to get the best out of your punches

Surface to Punch

Try to keep the punch on a hard surface[ not on your bed] while punching

Optimal Punching Action
You will get the best force with the least effort if you place your punch- paper on a sturdy table and use the palm of your hands to apply pressure on the punch [ arms extended with elbows only slightly bent so that you can exert the weight of your body and not strain your hands]
If you have a lever punch you can hold it in your hand and punch but if at all it gives you trouble go back to punching on the floor or a table exerting pressure using your hand from above!

Paper to Use for Punches

A mistake most beginners make while using punches is assuming all papers will work with punches

The thickness and texture of the paper are important considerations for using punches

Some punches work only with thin paper while some work better with thick paper like card-stock.

Comparison of Punch Bunch and Martha Stewart

Some punches will work best only with punch-craft paper. Most Punch Bunch , Jef Punches will not punch Card stock.

Punch Bunch Craft Punches on card stock- poor punching!

If a Punch doesnt work on one type of paper try it with another thicker or thinner. Here you can see the same punches demoed above giving beautiful punched designs when I used them on thin smooth Punchcraft paper
Punches on Punchcraft paper

Martha Stewart Daisy Deep Edge Border Punch
Martha Stewart Border , Corner, and Punch around the Page Punches work beautifully with card stock and in fact don't work so well with thin or cheap quality paper

Martha Stewart Beaded ruffle border Punch

Papers to avoid with Punches

Handmade Paper - The fibers in most handmade papers don't cut well with punches.And not only punches many dies too dont cut well with handmade paper
Glitter Paper
Adhesive Backed Paper- you can use them with punches but adhesive can jam your punches so it is best to avoid.
Specialty papers like Thai paper , Metallic foil covered paper
Corrugated Paper

Papers not to be avoided in Punchcraft

Fabric lined paper
Ivory Card stock- even Martha Stewart Punches dont punch ivory card stock though normal card stock punches easily with Martha Stewart Punches
Foam - to punch foam only use punches specially designed for foam otherwise your punch can jam hopelessly!

Storage of Punches

Store your punches in a dry place not subject to lots of humidity to prevent them from rusting
Store your punches neatly arranged in a draw or box and not in a bag--well if you are wondering what is the problem with bags or throwing all your punches together...I once damaged a particularly loved punch by putting it in a bag along with some other punches and I was dismayed to find some plastic parts of the punch broke due to all the jiggling around it was subject to and it stopped working!
Store your punches away from dust - I have seen many crafters from foreign countries proudly displaying their punches in the open. This is not a very good option for Indian crafters as most of us stay in places with a dust problem! Store in small / large plastic style cupboards or plastic boxes or cupboards.

Craft Room Cupboards

I am lucky to have a hubby who not only tolerates but appreciates my crafting hobby and last year he designed cupboards for my craft supplies.

Punch Storage

He actually measured the height of my largest Martha Stewart Punch to design perfect sized cupboard draws to store my punches!

Care of Punches and How to keep your Punches in good condition
If you are a seasoned crafter you must have read about the Aluminium foil tip to sharpen a punch ...well I had heard of it but was frankly speaking apprehensive to try kitchen aluminium foil or tin can [ suggested online!] on any of my beloved punches!
I was thrilled to try out the Punch Revitaliser Kit by EK Sucess
The kit is quite small and handy and has

several sheets of Wax paper
Aluminum foil sheets
A silicone Lubricant

How to sharpen your punches?
Just like we can sharpen our kitchen knifes when they blunt with use we can sharpen our favorite punches too.

I tried out the Aluminium foil sheets in the EK Sucess Punch revitalizer kit and I dont know if I am biased but I think after I punched the aluminium sheets with the punch and then tried it on paper it did create a more sharp edge to the punch out.

Sharpen Punch with Foil

My only gripe is that the Aluminium foil sheets are actually not very large so you need to be rather nimble in holding it while punching through the sheet.
How to smoothen the action of a Punch?
Now the wax paper in the kit was something I loved and did notice a marked difference in action of the punch.

Punch wax paper

I am demoing the wax paper with a Punch Bunch punch. [My MS punches all punch smoothly as long as I use quality paper with them!].

This particularly old leaf punch of mine has been vigorously used and doesnt punch smoothly.

Punch wax paper

I punched a single sheet of wax paper several times with it and I was pleasantly surprised to notice a marked difference in the ease and smoothness of the punching action!

Smoother punching action

You can also apply a few drops of the lubricant on the under-surface of the punch and let it rest for some time [ works in the same mechanism as oiling metal parts of machinery!]

Lubrication of Craft Punch

Special tip from Shalini [owner of Crafters Corner] on solving Punch Problems : Humidity can play spoilsport while using punches. If you have any difficulty in punching a paper you could previously punch the fault may not be with your punch but the paper which had become damp while stored in our climate. You can iron / air dry the paper and try again!

What to do if you jam up a punch ?

Anyone who has used punches for some time would have had a jammed punch at some time or the other.

Why does a punch jam?

A punch will jam if you dont exert enough pressure while punching and the partially punched paper catches in the punch mechanism [ hence the importance of using the punch on a hard, even surface and exerting adequate pressure with your palms!]
It will also jam if you try to punch through a thickness of paper too thick for the punch [ best solution to this is prevention!]
Trying to punch certain types of paper like handmade paper , adhesive paper and other papers listed above can jam up your punch
It may have more tendency to jam if it has not been used for some time [ punch parts are metal and just like any other machinery which has not been used for some time a punch needs a bit of lubrication to spruce it back to life!]
Ironically if you use a particular punch continuously too it has a tendency to jam [ solution to this is a bit of lubrication in between batches of extensive punching projects!]

How to release a jammed punch?

If your punch jams up and the top punching mechanism does not bounce back to its normal position here are a few things to try

Place the punch on a table/ floor and try punching through the jammed paper exerting enough pressure through your palms with arms extended at the elbows [ so that your body weight exerts its force too]- you can try this several times
Give a gentle bang on the side of the punch - please exert due caution and dont be too rough and do try this as one of your last resorts only! I have actually had success in releasing a few naughty punches using the good old hit!

Hit Punch on side
Use a pencil with eraser on top / any rounded thin but strong object to push back the plunger of the punch back up from the under surface of the punch.

Blunt object to Push plunger from beneath

If you have room on the under-surface of your punch this will be quite easy!

Blunt object to Push plunger from beneath

Be especially careful about your fingers while doing this as punch metal parts are sharp and you can cut your fingers!

Under-surface of Martha Stewart Punch

Choose an object which is not too big but can give you enough force to push up the plunger part of the punch. If your punch is a delicate one like the snowflake design shown above this technique is not going to be difficult!

Jef Snowflake Punch
Try prising the jammed paper bits using a forceps /fingers /anything else !
I read on the net many crafters advising to put the jammed punch in the freezer to contract the metal and help release the jam but I think this is best kept as a last resort as the freezer is a damp area and the metal mechanism of your punch can rust if you subject it to such a moist environment!
If nothing else works and you lose all hope try opening it up - but a word of caution the spring mechanism inside many punches are dicey and tricky to reassemble and some punches are not easy to open up!
Some punches have screws to help open them up while others look impossible to open without hammering them apart!

Now summing up - How to keep your Punches in good condition

Dont punch thick/specialty papers with it
Lubricate it to keep it punching smoothly
If you are going to carry around your punches, take care that they dont bang around and damage each other![pack well]

Martha Stewart Daisy border Rosettes

If you have a good quality punch it will be so easy to quickly make some "wow" projects such as these huge paper rosettes .

Frozen theme Party with Huge Paper Rosettes

I used the MS Daisy fan deep edge border punch to make the paper rosettes as part of the party decorations for my daughter's Frozen themed birthday celebration recently.

Foam Crafts

I am very lucky to have my mom stay in the flat next to ours and though I am "old and a big girl", I tend to rush to her with the slightest worry or problem .Also every evening my daughter gets to spend 2 hours at her grandma's place[that's my blogging time!]Recently my mom went on a religious pilgrimage and we missed her so much!As a "we love u" welcome back present we made these Foam Hearts.

Foam Crafts

These hearts were inspired by these heart crafts and we used glitter foam sheets, glittery pipe stem cleaners,googly eyes,foam punches,dies and magnets to make our Huggy Heart Magnets.

Foam Crafts

I die cut the hearts and letters for my daughter though she is adept at using the big shot as you can see in this post on Ocean crafts.But she punched the foam hands on her own using her new foam punch[If you have a child crafter buy lever type medium sized punches as they are so much easier for little hands].

Googly eyes crafts

I love foam crafts and the big pluses for me are that foam stays cleaner while crafting unlike paper[a big plus while crafting with kids] and lasts long.The big negative with foam crafts is what adhesive to use.Here my daughter is trying to glue her letters to the foam hearts but they kept swimming away![White glue on foam needs a lot of time and patience!]

Foam crafts

My 6 year old crafter is quite knowledgeable about adhesives now and she said "Amma can we use glue dots?"Using the glue dots her heart faces were all done in 10 minutes!